Europäisches Beihilfenrecht Blog

State Aid Uncovered Blog

In Lexxions Blog „State Aid Uncovered” veröffentlicht Prof. Phedon Nicolaides wöchentlich kritische Analysen zu den neuesten Urteilen und Entscheidungen zu staatlichen Beihilfen. Jeder Beitrag stellt die wichtigsten Punkte eines Gerichtsurteils oder einer EU-Kommissionsentscheidung vor, ordnet sie in den Kontext ähnlicher Rechtsprechung oder Praxis ein, bewertet die zugrundeliegende Argumentation und zeigt etwaige Ungereimtheiten oder Widersprüche auf.

In loser Folge werden auf diesem Blog auch Gastbeiträge von anderen Experten für staatliche Beihilfen veröffentlicht, welche die Inhalte der Blogbeiträge ergänzen.

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Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

11. Oktober 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Non-economic Activities, Absolute Impossibility to Recover Incompatible Aid and the Powers of National Courts

State Aid Blogs - SAH blog48 Montessori Lexxion

This article reviews three judgments that were all rendered on 15 September 2016. The first two concern the concept of economic activity. The third is about the rights of national courts to consider the correctness of Commission decisions. The Court of Justice has said clearly that national courts may not question Commission decisions. Economic activity The first two cases […]

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6. Oktober 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Compensation for the Extra Costs Imposed by Law

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When the state imposes obligations which create extra costs for a single undertaking, that undertaking suffers a disadvantage in relation to its competitors. The extra costs are abnormal because normal costs are those borne by all competitors. Introduction On 14 July 2016, the General Court rendered its judgment in case T 143/12, Germany v Commission.1 The outcome was a victory for […]

2 Kommentare

5. Oktober 2016 | Guest State Aid Blog von Erika Szyszczak

Article 263(4) TFEU: Third Party Challenges to State Aid Decisions

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We are happy to welcome back Prof Erika Szyszczak on the State Aid Blog today. She is Professor of Law and Fellow of the UK Trade Policy Observatory at University of Sussex and practising barrister and ADR mediator at Littleton Chambers, Temple, London. Today she shares her views on two cases that shed new light on third party rights to […]

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1. Oktober 2016 | von Lexxion Publisher

Court’s Diary – October 2016

Judge gavel with law books

Find below the court’s diary for all State aid cases this month. Would you like to write a comment on one of them? Please don’t hesitate and get in touch with us ([email protected]), we are happy to publish your comment on the blog. Tuesday 11/10/2016 Judgment in Case T-167/14 – Søndagsavisen v Commission (General Court – First Chamber) Wednesday 12/10/2016 Judgment […]

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27. September 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Regional Aid for a Large Project subject to Individual Notification under the GBER

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In the meaning of regional aid rules, diversification in a “new activity” is not the same as diversification in a “new product”. A “new process innovation” must be different, in the sense of being distinct from an existing process, must be substantial, in the sense that it covers the whole production process and must be new, in the sense that […]

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20. September 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Non-State Aid Assistance to Depositors and Customers of Banks

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Public assistance to borrowers who cannot repay their loans does not constitute State aid if the beneficiaries are individuals. Public assistance to undertakings which cannot repay their loans does not constitute State aid if the amount of aid does not exceed the de minimis threshold. Any public funding of deposits which are transferred from ailing to healthy banks is not […]

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14. September 2016 | Guest State Aid Blog von Michał Bernat

Polish Green Certificates Held by the Commission to Be Compatible State Aid: a Curious Story Comes to an End

windmills

We are happy to welcome Dr Michał Bernat on the State Aid Blog today. He is a legal and tax adviser and State aid expert at the Dentons offices in Warsaw. Today he shares his insights on a decision in a case involving Polish green certificates issued to producers of energy from renewable energy sources. Read on to learn more. […]

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13. September 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Burden-Sharing and State Aid to Banks

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Creditors must contribute to the recovery of banks before State aid is granted. Burden-sharing by creditors in the recovery of banks does not deprive them of their right to property. Introduction On 19 July 2016, the Court of Justice rendered its judgment in case C‑526/14, Tadej Kotnik and others v Državni zbor Republike Slovenije.[1] The judgment was in response to a […]

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6. September 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Commission Notice on the Notion of State Aid: Part III – Trade Effect, Distortion of Competition and Infrastructure

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This is the third and last article in a series of three that reviews the Commission’s Notice on the Notion of State Aid.* Last week’s article analysed the concepts of advantage and selectivity. This week the focus is on the last two constituent elements of the notion of State aid: affectation of cross-border trade and distortion of competition. This article […]

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1. September 2016 | Guest State Aid Blog von Lexxion Publisher

Court’s Diary – September 2016

Judge gavel with law books

Find below the court’s diary for all State aid cases this month. Would you like to write a comment on one of them? Please don’t hesitate and get in touch with us ([email protected]), we are happy to publish your comment on the blog. Wednesday 14/09/2016 Judgment in Case T-57/15 – Trajektna luka Split v Commission (General Court – Seventh Chamber) […]

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11. August 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Ex post Evaluation of State Aid Measures

State Aid Blogs - 21.11.State resources State control

Ex post evaluation is not just a “pillar” of State Aid Modernisation. It is also an indispensable tool for understanding the impact and effectiveness of State aid. State aid modernisation and decentralisation One of the pillars of the Commission’s State Aid Modernisation initiative is the decentralisation of responsibility for the implementation of State aid measures. The decentralisation works by […]

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4. August 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Use and Abuse of De Minimis Aid & State Resources

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Individual awards of de minimis aid must remain below the relevant threshold as well as the sum of all individual awards in any three-year period. Aid measures which are funded by beneficiaries themselves are unlikely to constitute State aid. Introduction This article reviews two cases that, among other things, deal with the use and abuse of de minimis aid […]

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28. Juli 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Market Economy Investor Principle Applies also to Avoidance of Losses

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A public authority can act as a private investor in paying to avoid costly contractual clauses. A public authority can act as a private investor in paying to bring forward future revenue. Introduction When a market operator invests to make profit, its underlying logic is the same as when it pays to avoid losses. In both cases it is […]

1 Kommentar

21. Juli 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Application of the MEIP to Transactions between Parent and Subsidiary Companies

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The Market Economy Investor Principle also applies to transactions between related companies. A private investor enjoys a margin of discretion in deciding in favour or against an investment. However, despite that margin of discretion, a prudent private investor always carries out an assessment of the potential profitability of the investment before it commits any money. Introduction When a public […]

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14. Juli 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Using Loans to Grant De Minimis Aid and GBER Compatible Aid

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost23

De minimis aid underpins “off-the-shelf” financial instruments which leverage private investment and at the same time ensure that all aid is passed on to the final beneficiary. Introduction One of the most convenient aid instruments is de minimis aid. It can be used for any purpose [apart from promotion of exports or on condition that domestic products are favoured] […]

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7. Juli 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Privatisation by Splitting the Assets

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The sale of a public undertaking [privatisation] needs to be preceded by independent valuation and be carried out on the basis of a competitive procedure. Certain guarantees may be provided to prospective buyers, if they could increase the sale price. The break-up of an undertaking and the disposal of the different parts through separate sales should be shown to generate […]

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29. Juni 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Levying of Charges to Maintain Equal Treatment Is Not Necessarily Selective

State Aid Blogs - SAH blogpost37 Hinkley Point C UK 2017

The standard of proof of whether a measure is selective depends on whether that measure is a scheme or a grant of individual aid. Measures providing for exemption are by definition selective. Measures that impose additional charges for the purpose of maintaining equality between operators are not necessarily selective even if the responsible authorities retain a degree of discretion in […]

2 Kommentare

22. Juni 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Ex post Monitoring of a Risk Capital Fund

State Aid Blogs - 10.10. Stateaid deminimis calculator

Ex post monitoring will be pursued vigorously by the Commission. Irregularities in the implementation of State aid measures may lead to the opening of the formal investigation procedure. Introduction This article examines Commission decision concerning a UK risk capital scheme entitled Enterprise Capital Funds [SA.15373 and SA.33186]. The decision is the outcome of an investigation that was initiated after […]

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15. Juni 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Germany Scores a Hat-trick of Non-Aid Measures!

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost33 trade

At the end of April, the European Commission announced that seven measures were found not to constitute State aid because they could not be reasonably expected to affect cross-border trade. The finding of no affectation of trade is rare. That seven measures were thought not capable of affecting trade is very exceptional. Perhaps the Commission is trying to signal to […]

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8. Juni 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Perils of Ex Post Monitoring

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost4 2019 lexxion pari passu chemistry Investment

Greater use of the new General Block Exemption Regulation means fewer State aid measures subject to notification and ex ante assessment by the Commission. However, less ex ante control will be followed by more ex post control. Member States should be prepared for wider and more intrusive ex post monitoring. Introduction One of the cornerstones of the State Aid […]

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